Planoqraph co



T. w. POST, ADAPTER FOR HAND GHENADES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR; 7 |918.

TRU/wmv W. P057 THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. b. c.

Patented July 22, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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j; UNTED STATESPATENT oFFrCE of I i "ppTRUMM w. POST. I Y, Y

' I Y NEWYYQRK,Nnfaconrona'riongornnw YORK. e

Y l' l: Application filed March 7rr,19v18. .Serial'NoQ 220,984.

l ;nacles, of

y 'ADAPTER non; HANDLGRENADES;

fBe itknown that I, TRUMAN Improvements lin Adapters -for' I-Iand-Grre-v Vwhich thefollowing is a, specifi- ...f facatongg` Y' v Y i .invention relates to?i an Yadapter/for 'i f 10i hand grenades of Ythe VshrapnelV type, gas

tl bombs, smoke bombs, star `shells,"etc.," and in fact "to `any of the small grenadesyorY bombs` now commonly thrown vby handand providedl with hand controlled mechanism for'igniting a'time fuse, the present inven-` vx-tionfproviding'means *byi which such projectiles may, be easily anddquickly adapted illustration vand description," I have indi- V 'cated herein f theapplica-tionof the inven- V'v' f v,tion to,` al hand grenade of Vtheshrapnel type; but it iste-*be 'clearlyjunderstood that the l means whereby grenades orfotherprojectiles Same-'meansmay be applied Atof-otherf profV jectiles of similar type, of which lthere are many Vthat come withinithe scope of'my invention. f i

The objectofmyinvention is to provide f'o-f'thejhand thrown type may be. practically instantaneously adapted forlring from a` #.flgu'n and: with equal facilityxbe readaptedrfor'v hand "throwing vby lsimply pulling f the adapter y:from the projectile. By adapting theV grenade for gun firing, I make it posfk [sible to project the ordinary hand thrown L device a muchl greaterdistancethan it, can possibly lbe thrown b-y hand,and my. adapter i isfof' such Vconstruction that it yadapts .the grenade-for gun ring,while the safety" dei "40' a premature explosion arestill VVin operatiol'i,V

.vices provided vto prevent "its, ,accidental or K Moreover, the' construction is such that the adapter may be separated from the grenade'VV fin; the simplest j and most'eXpeditious man-V ner, so vthat.-the grenade may be again corresponding tothatofthe bore of theggun,

-igI'n the'accompanyi'ng drawings, I VFigure 1 is v'aA brokenY s1deelevat1'on of S. grenade, showingin longitudinal section an adapter applied thereto' 1n whichY f if my invention isw embodied in one form;

.Fg. 2 is Va perspective of the adapter shown in Fig; 1; y n

Fig.:3 is a section through a modified Conf;

3 itizenxof the UnitedStates of America, re'- siding. in the city, county, Aand :State offNew York, have invented certain new and usefulY f Fig., 6 lis ai brokenside Velevation- .ofaV

Y thisY type of grenade; and-V in Fig,1 .afgrenadeemployedby the U. S.

for lliring from gun. I Forsimplicity of Y released Vby swingingfithe,..lever` 18V toone Y side as'V theY grenadeY thrown., AInOfrlderf 'Y 4to protect the primer14} fr0m anaecidental v l blow, a sheet metal hood,21 is provided. zwhich fits overfthehead piece'll'- andj has"v at oneendv ar hook flange 22 `engagingtheV v ',Figl 5 is a perspective of anotherY construe'- Y tion of the adapter showni'n Fig. .2;'k

Referring to the drawings5IhaveshownV Y' Army, comp-rising ashelloyrrcasing 10pro-Q' videdatoneend witha head piecell'which l carries. the Afuse and 'detonator tube-.112,AV

while atits yopposite endisall holenor-V Y l primer cap 14, cariried by, thefhead;is struckV lever .18, pivoted at 19-i ona bracket'20, but

lip 23'at one side of the headgwhile its sides- 'y are perforated in register Awith the holes 211".V I

in vthewings 25on1the headf; 11 to kreceive the-retaining cotterf Y pin 26 which liesffin 90;Y the path of the hammer l5. Ordinarily y preparing *thel grenade vfor use, the CotterY pin 26 is withdrawn,1the cap 21 removed, n leaving the yhammer 15vfree to rotate as soon'Y as the lever 18isV swung out-.of obstructing position. ,f v 7 fi In order to ladapt this grenade;forl firing in a gun, I have providedl a grenade carrier. f'

mth@ form kOra disk 21 of Slightly greater' 1 diameter than theY grenade,but substantially 1.0.01A

diagrammatically illustratedY by the'-do'te'rl lines 28. On Aone-face of the Ydiskf27 I provide, in.anysuitable ,wayfas by casting,y L10,5

head 11 (see,F-ig.i1),rand .side {langesSO and i 31 to embrace the. oppositesidesofthe head 110 @weie "Millsgrenade, showing my; adapter applied Y 11 with a frietion fit.` I may also provide another iang'e 32 which rests upon the edges of the Wings 25. On Vthe opposite faceH of the disk I provide a cartridge support or tube 33, perforated at 34 to permit the escape of the gases on the explosion of the cartridge 35. At the discharge end of the .cartridge above the packing `Wad 36 I provide a substantially rigid lplate or Wadt37, adapted 'to impinge against the firing pin 38. This iringpin'may be Vformed inE any suitable Way. I have here shown it as an angled strap struck fromfa plate of sheet metal, `secured at the lower face of `the disk 27 Wit-,lr the pin end of the armA projecting through a h'ole 39 in thelv disk which registers with' the primer 14 in the head of the grenade. The cartridge carrier 33 is of' such' diameterthat itV its Within the conical breech chamber 40 of the gun and'presents'the primer '41 of the'eartridg-e to the firing' v'p'i1f142 of the gun.

The operationv of the adapter isreadily understood.v The vsafetyl cap- 2-1 of the" hand grenade'havingbeen removed (and the cotter pin 26 reinserted, or not, through the holes 24), the nose' 219 of the adapter is caught lfeneath'th'e lip r23` atithe headof .theV grenade, and the adapterfispresjsed down on the head until the latter is firmly seated against the -disk ,27y and the head 11 firmly gripped by the'frictio'n Wingsl 30 and 31 and rests against the stop 32.V `A cartridge 35 having been inserted inthe4 Ycarrier 33, the' grenade isv now droppedidovvn the bore of the gun 23 and eoines'torestin the' breech thereof iii-position foriiring.' When the gun trigger (not shown) is pulled; the firing 'pin 42zis drivenaz'gainstt the primer-41 and the explosivecharge of the cartridge ignited, forcing the Walls off the" shell Vthrough the perforations 24iin the carrier 33. This not only' permits the gases to escape into the breech chamber, but also rivets the[cartridge shell to the carrier, so that Athe cartridge is ejected with the grenade and thec'arrier3'3 fr'om the gun'. At the moment of the explosion of the cartridge charge, the Wad 36. and facing plate 37 are blown against the iring pin 38', driving the latter against"v theV primer'14, the firing" of Which igite'sthe' Vfuse of the grenade.l The pressure ofv thev gases from l the cartridge" charge agalnstv the disk 27 of the adapter drives the latter out ofthe 'gun'with the grenade. During the` grenade, the adaptermay o1 may not' become separated therefrom.

In Figs. 2 and 31' `have shown a modified arrangement of the firing ipinfor the adapter, and have also shown the safet'y cap 21 of thegrenade in position on the grenade head engagedyby the adapter. While the iring pin o f Figs'. 1v and 2 will also vlor'oarch this cap 21 and; strikeithe primer 14 of the gre' nade, I prefer the. construction shownin disk grenade. Y

Vof the adapter 1s now carried by a metal disk F ig. 3 when the cap 21 is retained on the As here shown, the firing ypin 43 44 overlying the wad 36 of the cartridge and passing through the hole 39 in the disk 27.

When the cartridge is fired, the pin 43 penetrates the sheet metal cap 21 and strikes the primer 14, thus igniting the grenade fuse just as in the construction first described. The retention of the eap- 21 renders the use of the adapter still more safe, and the grenade can drop out of the gun Without danger of ignitingI the fuse evenv should lthe lever 1S be struck.

In Fig. 5 'I have shown the grenade grip'. pii'frg'elements oftheadapter struck from `a pilateA ofi sheet metal sp'ot welded to the disk 27.

`Iii-Figs.l (5, 7, 8, and 9 `I have shown the adapter modified to operate the Well known lidills grenade 'in 'common luse inthe British armies.V In thisgrenade, the head of the firing'pin 45 is normally engaged and held against! the action of its firing spring by flanges 46 formed on the endrof the safet;7 lever 47.V `The latter is-stru`ck from sheet n'ietaland is'prov'ided with a trunnion pin 48 which hasbearings in Wing pieces 49 formedat the head ofthe grenade'. A cot te'rpin 50 passing through these wing lpieces, holds the lever 47 in safety position. In this position, the head of 'the firing pin is slightly drawnout of the shell of the grenade, exposing its stem.V Theadapter in the form here shown comprises; as before, the disk 27, upon the grenade face'of which I former secure inany'suitable Wayl a device adapted to engage the' head of this Mills grenade.` As here shown, the engaging means 'Comprisesa pair of legs 51' and 52 freely straddling'the hea-dof the firing pin so as-not to interfere `with the latter, but engagin(r beneath the trunnionpin 4S With a WedgeV action, thus holding the adapter firmly to the head of the grenade. If desired, a tongue 53 may be formed between the legs 51 52, which, in the adjusted po'sition of the adapter, engagesV beneath. the head of the iring'pi1r45 and thus adds'to the seci'irity'ofthe lever'47 inholdingV the firingv pin against' premature release. The legs 51- and 52 are here shown integral With base straps 54;55 secured tothe disk 27 by face of the adapter is provided with a shell= holder' 33 like that first described, and the shell carries at its discharge end, aimetal 57 'with pin. 53, 'whicht in the inserted psiuh of `the Shar' ,passes 'through the vpai-g.

i ,s foration 39 in theadapterdi'sk 27.

.i Y Y adjustftheiadapteronYV the grenade,it is merely necessary teshove the legs [51,-Lg-,52

. i i Y Y f the retaining flanges ftvofvtlie safety)V lever,

f and the tongue 53;(.if usedffofitheiadapteig,

f e e: .yareeitherfbrokenoffor,deformed ,suflicientlyg` v to1 release the iiringspin 45,. 'e Thelatteigthus .1 ih ,the usual: mannen v- .j zo'jbo'died. 'Various flother'garrangements,will

' i "readily koccur to those dealing with the prob'- Vlem by `Which the same result mayV lbecb tained.- The underlyingYV thoughtlof Vmy in; '-,hagvllgvn 'a'v firinghead, of a device for, adaptingthe'grenade to gun firing, comprisingga "carrierfand means on 'said carrier.V forken'-V vention is to provide an adapterv which 'beapplied to a hand grenade withoutV alter- N ing its construction or releasing its safety' f mechanism, andV by theuse of which the gre-` Y Y Y '7, in assembled relationship during .Y firing,A 'to-1:

nadey may be fired froma grenade gun.

- dependentupon the explosion of the charge T .ofthe gun cartridge LWhich sets in fmotion grenade primer. The-invention may be appliedV Ito .othe'rtypes` vof grenades, bombs, lshellsLetc.,y Without departing from What 1I claims I kuse the term grenade infa sense broad enough to cover such devices. Similarly, I refer to means associated with the grenade carrieror attachment? for'l firing 'they grenade,V in a sensev broadfenough tol cover they firing pin mounted eitheron the carrier or on the cartridge or otherwise, f

Iclaim: w

' 1. AV device lfor adaptingV affused grenade forgun ring, comprising a grenadecarrier substantially corresponding Linfcdiameter to.

the gun bore, means onv said carrier forengagingfthe grenade,v a cartridge support on plosion of the cartridge for causing the ignition of the grenade fuse. Y

` 2. A device foradapting a for gun firing, comprising` a renade carrier disk substantially corresponding in diameter to the gun bore, means on Vone side of said disk for engaging theV grenade, a cartridge support on the opposite face of said disk, and means operated by the Yexplosion of the cartridge for causing the ignition of the grenade fuse. v

3.' A. device for adapting a fused grenade for gun firing, comprising a grenade carrier substantially corresponding in diameter to e i released,isjdriven byits spring against the j primer ofthe grenade: and ignitesv its' fu'lse' have' aus ilmstraecil-rfi tions in which,'myvzinventionvlmaybefem# -Furthermora the ignition ofthe grenade isYV soine device directlyi or indirectly firing the claim as my invention,v and in the following said carrier, and means operated'by the eX- v fused grenadey tlie"gun4 bore5A means, Vonsaid carrier ferjen-V easing thgrenade. a Cartridge :Sllpiierilon' saidcarrierfsaid'earrier being;perfratedto v f permit thepassageoffa firing,pinthere?` `through.- .Y 'Y

4.1 A device fer e adaptin'glafv fused` grenade forgun firing, compr'isinga grenade carrier,l y ,means o ii lsaid carrier for engaging4 the gre? nade,acartridge supportffpon' sai'dcarrier,

carrier lfoi'j engaging the grenade headfto hold said parts inf assembled -relatcnship during firing."

y6. .Thecombination With ya fused grenade .Y

gaging the grenade head to hold-said parts e.

gether with means'onfsaid'carrier'forsupfY porting'a cartridge V Y 7.#The combination Y With a fused grenade Y Y having @firing head, of a device fory adapt.- Vingv lit forv gun firing, comprising affcarrier Y having V.nieansfor securingittothe firing@ head ofthe grenade, said carrierbeingfperjforated to permit the passagegof a lrin pin;

therethrough to cause theignition .o theY grenade fuse on the eXplosion'of,thefgiin` charge. i A

' 8.V The combination Withalfiised-v grenade` 105 having a safety device kfor preventing premature ignition ofpits fusegfofa device for adapting saidgrenade to gun firing, said device comprising VaAcarrierjhaving. meansV` v forsecuring thesame tothe. grenade, to-` i if* 110 *i Y A plosion of` the gun charge foiijcausingy the Q ignition fthe grenade Yfuse irrespective of t e condition of the safetyr *deviceV Vonrlthe'- g'eth'erfwith meansroperative .uponthe v,eX-

grenade.

V9. The combination Vvvith avvfu'sedgrenade therefor adapted Vtoenter the gun breech in causing the ignition of the grenade primer;

11;.5; ,l having La primer, of a gun firing attachment 10.' The combination Witha fused grenade 'l having a primer, of a gun iiring attachment j therefor adapted to enter the gun breech in Y y ring position and to carry the gun eharge,'z e

together with means operated by the veX- plosion of the gun charge for causing theY ignition of the grenade primer.

11. The combination with a'hand grenade of a gun firing attachment comprising a member of greater diameter than th'efgren ade and substantially corresponding -to the bore of the gi 1n,fand means for securing the same to the grenade. Y

12.A The combination with a hand grenade of a gun firing attachment comprising` a member of greater diameter than the grenade and substantially correspondingto .the bore of the gnn, and means vfor seenring the same to the' grenade, zogeth,er` Withja eartridge Carrier on saidv member adapted toV receive the gnn Vcartridge and present the primer thereof to the 'rngdevieof the gun.

13. The vooinbination with a hand grenade having a primer and means foi' firing Vthe same, fof a gun,ii'ing'jattahment .for the grenade and'assoeiated means for firing the grenade primer. Y

' 141. The conrifloinati on with la hand :grenade having a primer, 'ring means therefor, and

4. ienne@ safety means for preventing premature Vfiringof the primer, o f a gun firing attachment for the gren'adeand associated means for' iring fthev grenade primer While said safety means arein 'operative position.

' 15. Thev combination with a hand grenade havingringfmeans and associated safety means for preventingpremature operation of said firing ineans,`of a gun firing 'attachment and associatedv means for firing the grenadewhiie said safety means are in operative pOStiOn..

1 6. The eombination'with a hand grenade having firing means, associated safety means for preventingYprematnreV operation( of the firing, means, and means for locking said safety means'in positiomof gun operated means for firingthe grenadewhile said 1oeking :means is inoperative position.

` I n testimony` whereof have signed my name Ato this specifica-tion.

Copies of tns patent may be obtainedior nve eents each, by andressng theVV fCoxnmissioner of Patents,

` Washington; D G- 

